#2
I live here on the southwest side, and am one of two gringo families on my block and am treated as a foreigner. Unless you can afford to live in the wealthy foothills area - learn Spanish before you move here.

Editor's note: The following article was written by a prominent Chinese blogger named Wang Jinsi (王锦思). The article discusses why, even when it seems that it isn't in China's best interest, it insists on maintaining a strong relationship with the mythical hermit kingdom, North Korea.

Relationship is not all good

North Korea and China have a close interdependent relationship, like that of two blood brothers. However, the hardline policies of North Korea, China's little brother, often leave China in an uncomfortable position, making their relationship one filled with as much love as there is hate. Despite the fact that the Chinese public opinion of North Korea is extremely low, the Chinese government does not intend to abandon it. As far as they are concerned, the dish may be tasteless, but it would be a pity to throw it away.

Be that as it may, Sino-North Korean relations are not completely inseparable these days. In June 2009, after North Korea conducted their second nuclear test, China was left humiliated, and the leaders at Zhongnanhai were no doubt shaking silently with anger at their little brother. On May 29th 2009, days after the second test was conducted, the North Korean Foreign Ministry, who apparently felt that it had nothing to lose, issued a strong critical statement against China and Russia, who were participating in an emergency UN Security Council meeting at the time: "They are kowtowing to the Americans, blindly following them." Since that time, both sides have grown increasingly critical toward one another.

For example, in an editorial published by the Global Times -- a party-run newspaper --the term "ungrateful" (忘恩负义) was used in reference to North Korea, which would once have been considered an inconceivable thing to say. The editorial had other choice words for North Korea aswell: "If the hundreds of thousands in the Chinese People's Volunteer Army hadn't gone over and helped the Korean People's Army fight their bloody war shoulder to shoulder, there wouldn't be a North Korea today. In recent years, North Korea has conducted two nuclear tests, repeatedly violated international agreements, and many Chinese people are asking:'Are we still able to refer to our two countries as blood brothers'? North Korea's nuclear testing has ruined the foundations of our bilateral relations."

Four reasons China will not abandon North Korea

Two years after this incident, Sino-North Korean relations have cooled off somewhat. Yet, despite these continuing clashes, it seems that China refuses to abandon North Korea, and is in fact determined to keep on slanting its policies in North Korea's favour, providing economic support, food aid etc. The reasons for this continued support are as follows:

1) Ideologically, China and North Korea's social systems both still operate under the banner of Marxism, and in this day and age, other Marxist brethren have become quite hard to come by.

2) The "peace" of the Korean War cost China at least 300,000 Chinese casualties. If China were to just give that up, the widows and relatives of those deceased would likely be rather furious. Not to mention, the whole little brother relationship with North Korea is a big part of China's mainstream propaganda system, and it can't be changed that easily.

3) When China's strategic interests come into conflict with those of Japan or the United States, China likes to have a buffer to end the stalemate between the countries. As it has traditionally done, China still hopes that North Korea will act as its shield, and during these critical moments on the international stage, do things that are not convenient for China to do. And even if North Korea goes too far, other countries will ask China to step in and deal with North Korea (as it doesn't really listen to anyone else), which makes China look more important. However, "When a neighbouring country starts conducting nuclear tests right on China's borders, China will not turn a blind eye."

4) There are still a number of Chinese people who have a soft spot for North Korea, such as Kong Qingdong (孔庆东), the infamous Peking University professor who frequently gets in trouble for his super national opinions (In January 2012, he called Hong Kong residents "the dogs of British imperialists" during a webcast interview). Suffice it to say, even with low public opinion of North Korea, China's support is still considered a core part of the country's national character.

In summary, even though supporting North Korea is both strenuous and costly -- not to mention it is not all that mutually beneficial -- China will continue to do so. But North Korea should take note of China's new tone, as could be seen at the 2011 Sino-North Korean Summit Meeting: North Korea, my boy, I'll continue to help you build yourself up, but don't do anything too stupid, or I'll be the one that looks bad.
Continued on Page 49

#1
No surprise, but China is becoming seemingly more aggressive + "final" as per its claims to disputed islands from East China Sea to the South China Sea - it is no longer content to stay between its coasts in East Asia to the west side of the "First Island Chain", but now IMO is attempting to MilPol "force" its way thru the "Chain" + into WESTPAC + far PACOAS.

* IIRC PRAVDA > CHINESE DRAGON SWALLOWS AUSTRALIA WHOLE.

* SAME > JAPANESE WANT US OKINAWA BASES GONE.

* WORLD NEWS > [Philippines] FISHERMEN FEAR PALAWAN WILL BE TURNED INTO ANOTHER "OKINAWA" WID US BASE PLAN, espec given its close proximity to China-claimed areas that are also claimed by Manila. US plans to build a logistics base on Palawan in support of "West Philippine Sea" forces [South China Sea = China].

PHIL National Fishermen Movement = Pamalakayo'.

* CHINESE MILITARY FORUM > CHINA BOOST NAVAL PRESENCE NEAR KOREAN PENINSULA, Beijing sent a Destroyer to Ieo = Jeodo Island, + is in process of expanding PLAN naval forces, facilities at Dalian. ROK = SOUTH KOREA CLAIMS THE ISLAND IS CLEARLY UNDER THEIR TITLE.

Following South Carolina and the RNC, the Florida state legislature just passed a resolution calling for a one-state solution. Specifically, the resolution disavows that Israel is "an occupier of the lands of others", instead affirming its right to jurisdiction over the West Bank and Gaza and proclaiming "that peace can be afforded the region only through a whole and united Israel governed under one law for all people." Which is another way of saying one-stateism.

The anti-Zionists at Mondoweiss are crowing, and why shouldn't they? This rash of one-state support is easily the highest-profile domestic victory they've ever seen. The ADL and AJC, among others, have denounced one-stateism as inherently anti-Israel. But it is rapidly becoming mainstream, with these resolutions leading the charge.

What might be most remarkable, though, is that essentially all the main players are effectively admitting that they simply weren't thinking too hard about Israel's best interests. Responding to the objection that he was forwarding a one-state agenda, Alan Clemmons (author of the South Carolina resolution) stated that "This document was drafted over a period of hours, not months, in an exercise of exorcising my own concerns with President Obama over advocating that Israel abandon Judea, Samaria, and East Jerusalem." He continued: "this resolution was passed as a symbol and it truly is little more than a symbol. I dont pretend to know what the best answer is with respect to the voting issue in Judea and Samaria, and in Israel for that matter." A Florida Democratic co-sponsor conceded that "I did not focus on [the one-state call" and ventured that "If its anything other than support for the State of Israel, then I would say shame on us for signing on."

an actual NYTimes opinion piece that goes against the Obama narrative... I've found that starting a conversation with lefties on this general subject makes them very uncomfortable, especially when I note that the Bush admin prosecuted Enron guys.
It's sure starting to look as if Jon Corzine is going to get away with it...Let's not mince words here. These executives committed a crime. Virtually every knowing violation of the Commodities Exchange Act is a crime, but taking money from segregated customer accounts is at the top of the list. And for good reason...I understand that bringing complex financial cases in front of a jury is not easy. But what prosecutors don't seem to understand is that the country needs them to bring these cases. When they took a pass on Angelo Mozilo, the former chairman and chief executive of Countrywide, and Richard Fuld, who was chief executive of Lehman Brothers when it went bankrupt, they sent a signal that the highly paid executives who gave us the financial crisis would not be held to account.

A failure to prosecute anyone at MF Global would be, if anything, even worse. It would mean that executives at a broker-dealer can indeed steal customer money and get away with it -- so long as it was "unintentional." And it would only deepen the cynicism so many people feel about government. I've heard it suggested, for instance, that the Justice Department won't prosecute Corzine because it would hurt President Obama. (Corzine, the former governor of New Jersey, had been a big fund-raiser for the president.) I don't happen to subscribe to that theory, but I certainly understand why others might.

[Dawn] Festivals, whether religious or cultural, have always fascinated me and being a devout advocate of coexistence I enjoy celebrating Christmas, Eid, Navroz and Diwali with my friends -- an act which is unfortunately officially 'extinct' now.

The festival of Holi, which remains one of my favourites, took place last week and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, however my celebrations were slightly overshadowed by surreptitious glances that I received from strangers. Do I blame them to be sceptical towards me? Have I given them any reason to treat me with such paranoia? Perhaps we all know the correct answer.

The recent rise in forced conversions, killings and kidnappings for ransom targeting non-Mohammedans, specifically the Hindus of Pakistain, proves that intolerance and bigotry in our society runs deeper than we'd care to admit.

Whether our society has always alienated and harassed people who profess other religions or if this is a 'trend', a recent 'development' which is haunting everyone, including Mohammedans who demand peace and coexistence, are questions that can best be answered by someone who has been living in Pakistain since the time of its establishment.

Hari Motwani, former Member Manager Committee of Pakistain Hindu Council said, "The situation was never as bad as it has become. I remember the good old days when we were invited to Qawwali evenings and Naat competitions. We participated in all Mohammedan religious festivals and our sentiments were reciprocated wholeheartedly, however now it is extremely difficult for us to trust anyone,"

"When your daughters and sons are at stake, everything seems threatening," added Motwani, whose own nephew was kidnapped and has been missing for the past three months.

The endless horror tales that I read and hear about people, who suffer from the 'minority syndrome' in Pakistain, make me question who are the culprits behind these vicious acts and most importantly what factors influence them to act in such an inhumane way.

My religious knowledge might not be 'at par' with the so-called advocates of faith but I do know certainly that there is no compulsion in religion. Coercing and threatening Hindus to accept Islam will most likely not land us a palatial mansion in heaven. Kidnapping and killing them for ransom will never be justified and above all 'expunging' them from the country will not 'bless' us in any way whatsoever.

Hindus constitute almost 2.5 per cent of the overall population of Pakistain and most Hindu families have been living in the country before 1947's partition. Raja Assermal, a businessman of Sikh origin said, "My family has a 1000 years worth of history in Pakistain. We identify with this country because this is our homeland. Many Hindus have migrated but we will not change our 'abode' and will continue to fight for our rights."

Assermal claims that Hindus are being targeted everywhere, however, the situation in Sindh is critical and deteriorating with the passage of each day. Whilst narrating the abduction and forced conversion of a 17-year-old Hindu girl, he demanded for their civil rights and urged the authorities to protect them from the myrmidons.

Intolerance and ubiquity of the pseudo-religious holy mans continue to tarnish young minds. Blaming everything on the authorities, lack of true Islamic knowledge and illiteracy will not change the situation. Measures taken in individual capacity can be extremely motivating for people who face the brunt of being a non-Mohammedan in Pakistain. In order to develop a society which is ethnically rich and civilised, tolerance and accommodation of each other's ideas play a predominant role.

A society which fails to accept its own people is perhaps more vulnerable and prone to disintegrate. Perhaps our own set of insecurities plays a vital role in considering other people and factions inferior.

We consider ourselves safe which is why most of us do not voice our condemnation toward such crimes, however, our realm is as penetrable and susceptible to the dangers of bigotry. Each targeted temple and attacked individual push us closer to the precipice of doom.

It is time to take measures to curb the hostilities toward Pak Hindus. It is time to identify the culprits behind the terrifying abductions and forced conversions of non-Mohammedans in Pakistain. It is indeed time to make amendments by making individual efforts to save people professing other religions before it's too late.

"You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in this State of Pakistain," is the most highlighted phrase of one of the most significant speeches made by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

However,death is not the end. There remains the litigation over the estate... the question is if Jinnah had been a witness to the barbarism which rules Pakistain now; would he still dream of creating Pakistain?

#1
IIRC INDIA BLOGGERS = claim that up to 25 HINDU girls or women a day? are being forcibly converted as described, wid little to no distinction being made for minor, single, or married women. Many are kidnapped + taken far away from their families + homes - FORMAL/LEGAL MARRIAGES BETWEEN NON-MUSLIMS ARE ALL BUT ABSOLUT IGNORED.

The Conquered are made to know, believe, + feel that they have been + are the conquered.

#6
Or they could contact the Jordanian / Egyptian governments and say that they recognize the West Bank / Gaza as officially part of their respective states effective 01MAY12. And any subsequent attacks from Gaza will be viewed as an attack from Egypt; ditto for Jordan/West Bank. Would certainly encourage better policing.

#8
It seems to me is that the arabs use the paleos as a knife in the not so soft underbelly of Israel. The arab states do not want the paleos around as they tend to destabilize the country that they are in. You obviously have a high level of corruption in Egypt, or no tunnel industry could exist.

Gaza could be cleaned out, but where would you put the Gazans? It is a vital question. They do have permanent victim status.

It seems to me that Israel needs to get its energy security situation squared away so that they do not depend upon Egypt. Then they need to have a phased plan to eliminate providing electric power and water to Gaza. Then they seal the border with Gaza and throw the monkey on Egypt's back. The humanitarian gestures of paleos going to Israel must sadly stop, too.

But the biggest issue is going to be population pushback in Gaza, as rocket launches would eventually be able to made anywhere in Gaza and hit Israel.

A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.

Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.

Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.